DI Dursley
by nimbusbolt
Summary: A Murder in the Muggle world brings Dudley crashing in to the Wizarding world. A proper Dudley centred whodunnit! : Now Complete.
1. 3 Deaths 3 Weeks

**A/N Well my new story for you. Not sure how it happened but I seem to have started writing Dudley Harry fics completely by accident, oh well.**

Dudley Dursley stood in the room looking at the grisly scene before him. Three murders at precisely the same time on the same day exactly one week apart and they still have no evidence, its as if the murderer just appears and and every one in the room just drops dead. The pathologist turned to Dudley and spoke.

"Sir, it's the same as the other two. No marks, no damage, nothing it's the perfect murder."

"Damn!" Dudley exclaimed "they will slip up. They have to." he did not sound convinced.

"Sir should I move the bodies?"

"No a team of experts from the Met are coming they should be here in a second. Don't know what they can do with no evidence though."

The pathologist slowly packed his equipment and had a few constables carry his cases out as Dudley stood as sentinel over the bodies. A commotion outside woke Dudley from his stupor, this would be them then he thought to himself. He had no idea why experts from London were required although it would be good to have the experience of metropolitan detectives to aid the investigation. The door behind him opened and a voice he seemed to recognise spoke.

"Good evening detective my name is…" he sopped as Dudley turned around and the two men looked into each others eyes.

"Harry?"

"Dudley? Since when did you become a detective?"

"Its not every day you get to see into your own soul." for a moment Dudley's words were lost to Harry until the memory of the Dementors came surging back.

"Well then introductions. This is Hermione Granger, expert on everything and is here representing the Unspeakables, because not even we have any idea how they are doing this." Dudley shook hands with Hermione, Then dismissed all the officers from the house.

"So Harry, how are you then." A nervous smile played on Dudleys lips, Harry turned and drew his wand to lock the door but Dudley suddenly ran for cover.

"Only locking the door big D." Smirked Harry knowing full well what reaction he would get.

"Gentlemen lets keep things professional. Now then Mr Dursley having you here makes things much easier we can get involved in the investigation without having to keep up appearances." Hermione was wandering around the room twirling her wand in complicated interlocking circles.

"Well this has us baffled." Dudley had regained his policeman's composure. "No forced entry, no marks on the body, no DNA or Hairs or flakes of skin, simply nothing." Dudley frowned.

"He's right they must have apperated in and out and somehow concealed any magic that they used." Hermione Replied

"What are these people to you, though?" Dudley asked.

"They have been killed using magic, we detected the spell every time, but the first two times we arrived on the scene within seconds, only to find you lot trying to smash the door down, nearly got a good man caught."

"They must have phoned the police then committed the murder so that our Aurors would get caught on the scene."

"How did you get on the case through the Met though?" Dudley needed to get all of the gaps filled in.

"Negotiated it with the Prime Minister. We need to get these murders solved soon, quicker then any of your lot can comprehend." Dudley ignored Harry's snipe at the Surrey police force.

"So what are your thoughts on this then, do you know anything we don't?"

"Well, there does not appear to be anything political about these murders and that's what we are most worried about. We're going to have to consolidate our notes at some point." Harry replied with only a slight frown as he invited Dudley to the interviews.

"Nothing more I can do Harry. Tried some experimental charms but nothing doing, again. I may as well leave, there is literally no evidence here, but let me think."

"Ok then then see you Friday, Ginny's cooking and I have been ordered to invite you." then with a brief goodbye Hermione disappeared home, leaving the house through the front door.

"So your a detective as well then, funny world." Dudley told Harry, not sure what to say Harry shrugged and and replied.

"Of a sort, I investigate and keep the peace, sort of detective and special forces rolled into one."

"Nice!" Dudley suddenly got excited and was obviously impressed.

"So then 9 o'clock Saturday I will meet you on Frazier street London, its near Lambeth North underground station." Harry turned to leave but an arm stopped him.

"I am a changed man you know, and I am sorry."

"That much is clear." replied Harry before leaving Dudley alone in the room with the corpse of a dead muggle.

--

Harry climbed in to bed next to Ginny.

"You know who I saw today."

"No dear." said Ginny, paying little attention to her husband

"Dudley." This got her attention away from the Quibbler immediately.

"Where?"

"Leading the muggle police investigation."

"Well I never." she replied suddenly looking quite thoughtful, she put the Quibbler on her bed side table and snuggled in to the large Duvet. Harry leaned over her and began to kiss her forehead gently.

"Not tonight dear I have a match tomorrow and I need all the sleep I can get."

"I'm just going to ignore that you said that."

"Not that it would last long anyway." Ginny mumbled in to her pillow smirking.

"What was that dear?"

"Nothing darling, just wake me at eight." Harry turned the lights off and snuggled into Ginny. Both were fast asleep in minutes.

**A/N**** Well hope you liked it! Big thanks to my Beta, you know who you are.**


	2. Bureaucracy

**A/N Well here we go chapter two, thanks to all those who put this story on alert and once again to my Beta, because this was a difficult chapter to write.**

Harry stood at one of the workers entrances to the ministry waiting for Dudley. Eventually a police car stopped at the end of the road and Dudley approached.

"Good morning. So where are we off to then?" it was obvious that Dudley was trying to be professional, and polite, something that Harry was failing miserably with.

"We are already here come with me." Harry led Dudley to a small solicitors office with a dusty sign and a grafitied door.

"Are you sure you know where we are going?" asked Dudley obviously worried about their location.

"Come and look, this dusty exterior is just a facade." As Dudley entered the small building it opened out into a large office complex. Harry led Dudley to one of the offices.

"We can talk freely here. It's the place where our office interviews muggles, and it can act as a medical facility for us and the Obliviators." Harry kicked his shoes off and made himself comfortable behind the desk. The whole room was fairly anonymous there was no family photographs, or any sort of personalisation. Chairs were stacked in one corner of the room and several broken items were stored in a large cardboard box in the other corner. The room felt as if it were used infrequently and generally neglected. Dudley took the leather binder that he had been carrying and removed all of his case notes and photographs of the scene. For hours Harry filed Dudley in on what his Aurors new, Dudley briefed Harry and both men sat looking at the photographs.

"This is tiresome and I need food." said Dudley

"Not everything has changed then has it Big D." Smirked Harry "There's a good fish and chip Shop round the corner." Dudley left to fetch lunch. The Door opened again to soon for it to be Dudley and a large thickset man entered the office.

"Morning Sir, this that mystery case."

"Sure is." The man, whose name incidentally is Ethan Roberts, picked up three of the photographs and looked at them for a while.

"Harry, Do all muggles have cars?"

"No why?"

"Most do though right?"

"Yes. Why what you thinking?"

"There aint no cars parked out side their 'ouses." Harry leaned over and looked at the pictures again. The Front door clattered open and Dudley walked in with the fish and chips.

"Been down the chippy, should have had one o'their steak pies, lovely they are." Ethan continued his introduction oblivious to Harry who was now thinking furiously.

"Dudley do any of the victims have driving licences?"

"What? Er yeah" Said Dudley

"Have you found their cars?"

"No hardly a priority was it."

"Tis now, get your lot onto it!" Harry did not know what it meant but it was a connection. "Right Ethan what case you working on at the moment? Doesn't matter pull up a chair and work out family trees for this lot particularly any wizarding blood. Im off to the Wizigenealogy office, I think I have something" Harry left in a flurry of orders before any one could raise a protest.

Dudley sat there for the next three hours with Ethan working on the dead victims relations fortunately Dudley had done most of this with surrey police, apart from the inexplicable endings to parts of the family tree. Ethan thought he recognised some of the names but neither men could finish their task.

"Well tell Harry I had to leave, if he needs me there's my contact details." Dudley hesitated briefly before throwing a business card down on the table "Well good night."

--

Dudley sat in his flat alone, listening to the Radio, quietly contemplating the case. He sat with a glass of red wine half empty, held loosely in one hand, and balanced on the slightly threadbare armchair. The burnt red colours on the walls matched the wine; and the stacks of faded news papers from old cases, stacked on the radiator, gave the room a smell of hot ink, and scorched paper. The thick piled carpet stifled the sounds of any movement he made in the 19th century apartment block. The entire Block was down a smoky old back alley of a once affluent neighbourhood, only the name of the streets still held some semblance of the areas wealth. The entire area was being slowly ground down by vandalism and the spray-paint covering the decaying shop frontages that had been boarded up many years before. No matter how hard the vandals tried though, they had never been able to paint away the feeling of faded splendour that still clung to the air around closed down businesses.

Dudley was about to drift off to sleep in his chair when a large crack sounded outside. Immediately he got up and made for the door.

"If that's you again I can still arrest you!" thinking it was the small gang of youths that liked to gather down the alleyway, He flung The door open.

"Harry?"

"Well if you really want to arrest me go ahead but you've got no evidence." Harry held out his arms as if he was going to be hand cuffed.

"Come in." huffed Dudley, more at his own stupidity than Harry's mockery.

"Can't stop long just wanted to let you know. I've got a breakthrough, they are all distantly related to Wizards, believe me that's an unusual situation."

"Don't suppose we could have found that out for ourselves could we." Dudley asked not really expecting an answer, for a moment Harry hesitated

"We need your help interviewing the wizarding families, the ministry of magic wont let you into the ministry for this or at least not in to the Auror department. Im trying to get the minister to swing things for me but..."

"Politics, I can only sympathise, if its half as bad as our lot then you don't stand much chance, just let me know where you need me."

"Thanks. Any way I will let you know tomorrow, bye." Harry let himself out of the flat and disapparated home. Dudley stood quietly in his living room pondering on the reason why he would be needed at the interviews.

**A/N Well hope you enjoyed it, I would just like to ask has it become illegal to review? joking aside I would appreciate feedback good and bad so that I know where I'm doing right and wrong. _Thanks_**


	3. Breakfast

**A/N Ok then Chapter three, a longer update time at the moment as its been a bit of a mad start to the week.**

Harry sat at the kitchen table staring forlornly into his morning tea, wondering what sort of decision he was making. Ginny had been nagging him all night over what was wrong, he had hardly slept at all, tossing and turning and simply wondering what he was going to do. He heard footsteps on the stairs as Ginny came down for breakfast.

"Harry what's wrong?" She asked as greeting.

"Nothing." Mumbled Harry, wanting to be left to think.

"Harry James Potter don't tell me there is nothing wrong! You've kept me up all night! You hardly spoke to me all last night…"

"Oh all-right then." Harry interrupted, catching Ginny very much off guard.

"Im afraid we're beginning to slip into the bad old days."

"What do you mean by that?" Asked Ginny more confused than ever

"I need to interview some people today, at the ministry, With Dudley but they wont allow him in."

"They've let Muggles into the ministry before, but I suppose they didn't go into the Auror department."

"well that's the excuse that they are using as well. But I really need him there and..." Harry faltered wondering if he should tell Ginny this.

"Tell me, you know it wont leave this room."

"Im going to have have to smuggle him in." for a moment Ginny simply stared at Harry.

"Is it that important that he's there?"

"Yes he's the only one who's properly up to speed on the case."

"I don't buy that Harry, what's really happening, there are ways round people not being at interviews why do you really need him there." for a moment Harry paused evidently struggling with what he should say

"Im afraid that someone has Imperiused people at the ministry."

"Why?" Ginny asked the question completely shocked at the revelation

"This case, with all those murders, no one in the department or at least no one on the case can find any evidence, when we get a lead or at least something to go on, it goes missing or someone mucks up. And its not because they are incompetent or anything because someone else will back them up, keep other records but they go missing as well. I don't know who I can trust." for a while Ginny leant back in her chair thinking.

"You need Dudley because he's not an Auror but still on the case, so probably not imperiused."

"No guarantees but that's what I'm thinking, yes." Harry and Ginny sat opposite each other without talking for some time.

"You have to do it Harry." Ginny said eventually "Smuggle him in I mean. Its, its…" ginny struggled for the right words for a moment. "Its for the greater good!"

"Never say that again, that is no reason for doing something." Harry's voice had become cold and hard. Ginny suddenly understood that she had touched on one of those things Harry had never told her from the war. He had told her everything that had happened to him, but refused to tell her anything about Ron, Hermione or Dumbledore, saying that she would have to ask them or in the case of Dumbledore, Arberforth. It was an agreement they had come to soon after the battle, that a families secrets were not for other people to share no matter how close you think you are.

"Sorry." whispered Harry

"Its all right dear I understand." this was not entirely true but she did understand that whatever it was something really big and that Harry was probably right about it.

"Is it the right thing to do?" Harry asked Ginny, this was the real confirmation that he needed.

"I think so, you need to catch them and the only way to do that at present is to smuggle Dudley in to the ministry. Do you trust Kingsley? Because if you do then get his help your going to need it." finished Ginny as she went to make herself a cup of tea.

"We need to get Dudley round here first, get him a disguise. The interviews are to day so I need to go and fetch him now." Harry felt better now a decision had been made and he could focus on getting the case cracked.

"Give me time to get changed, and I'll get breakfast ready for when you arrive." Harry left through the front door to fetch Dudley leaving Ginny to panic about breakfast.

Not long later and certainly less time than Ginny needed to get ready, Harry reappeared with Dudley who promptly collapsed on landing. Harry showed Dudley to a chair and disappeared upstairs to fetch what he needed for a disguise. Dudley found his eyes drawn to everything, nothing was particularly unusual, but it was not quite right. Somethings were blatantly magical like the porridge making its self, the rack of broom sticks and the portrait that very occasionally had a subject but only as they walked passed the frame.

Dudley heard a noise behind him and turned to see if Harry had returned.

"Hello Dudley I'm Ginny."

"Ah nice to meet you at last." An awkward silence fell "You didn't tell him did you?"

"No, he didn't need to know but I felt it needed to be said." a creak on the stair interrupted their conversation and Harry reappeared soon after.

"Ok then Dudley, robes, use my study to change, get some breakfast and then we shall begin your transformation."

After breakfast Harry Spent time transfiguring Dudley, much to his discomfort.

"How will we get there?"

"Floo."

"Can muggles Use the Floo?" Asked Ginny

"Yes its the powder that's magic not the traveller. Now that they've improved the system it will be easier for Dudley as well

"What exactly is Floo?"

"Travel by fire place." Harry explained what Floo was and how to use it and eventually they made their way.

Both men collapsed out of the fire place in to the atrium of the ministry and Harry whispered into Dudleys ear

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic."

**A/N Well hope you liked and that you paid attention because you could work it out from everything you have read. Please review and i hope to get a faster update this time. :)**


	4. How it All Got Out of Hand

Dudley sat in Harry's office in bright Magenta Wizards robes looking most uncomfortable. The interviews had proceeded without a hitch, everyone who entered had co-operated immediately, Dudley was unsure whether this was because of Harry's position in the ministry or because he was Harry.

"Well I believed Brocklehirst." said Dudley "No doubt there!"

"Actually I didn't he was trying to hide something." Added Harry

"Well what about MacDougal and Turpin? I got nothing from them"

"No they are all pretty much clean, as expected really, but there has to be a connection." Harry threw his quill onto the notes he made in frustration. "None of them have done anything wrong, there are no Deatheaters in the family, they did nothing to offend Deatheaters, their not rich or powerful or anything, all half bloods apart from the odd muggle born joining the family."

"Mr and Mrs average then?" asked Dudley

"Pretty much yes."

"Ok then, well if its not something they have done, then maybe it is something they have not done." Harry gave Dudley a depreciating look when he said this.

"Stop talking gibberish Dudley."

"Yeah sorry. However more pressingly how am I going to get out of here."

"Floo, that fire is outgoing only it was never a problem getting out. Come on then" Harry finished with an exasperated sigh. As before both men returned to The Potters house and Dudley collapsed on the floor.

--

"Hello you two" Ginny greeted Dudley and Harry as they returned home. Dudley saw a tall woman with bushy hair sitting at the table whom he thought he recognised.

"Hello, Didn't expect to see you here Hermione?" Harry asked questioningly, as Dudley remembered who she was. Harry gave Ginny a curious look that Hermione didn't miss.

"She didn't tell me, but I think you may be right you usually are and I worked out what he may be for." Hermione indicated to Ginny and Dudley respectively, before answering Dudley's confused expression.

"Harry thinks that dark wizards are controlling his staff to thwart the investigation, he can rely on you because your not his staff." Harry looked uncomfortable as Hermione explained things so naturally and because he knew what was coming.

"Harry you know what to do." The only way of detecting the imperius curse was to invade the mind of the suspect and look for traces of other peoples thoughts, as it turned out Harry was useless at occlumency but almost untouchable at legilimency.

"We don't have to Hermione..."

"Yes we do and you know it. And put some effort in as well we are dealing with a very powerful wizard here." Harry braced himself, pointed his wand at Hermione and said Legilimens. Immediately a rush of images hit Harry. Bursting through the door shouting its a boy, then the confetti swirling around and applause ringing in his ears, dropping an arm full of fangs and rushing towards Ron. The rush of images continued but Harry was controlling them now. Dark clouded images greeted him next but that was to be expected because he knew that it was a result of the locket. A mountain troll swinging a club back and himself hanging onto it's neck. Harry pulled out as he saw an image of a birthday cake with six candles.

"Your clear, only what was expected." Harry finished.

"Good Now Ginny." Harry stared at Hermione disbelievingly.

"Why!"

"Because Kingsley has given permission for you to conduct this investigation out side of the Auror department, and we are going to need the best people, so that's me, you, Ginny, Ron and Neville. And Mr Dursley of course." Hermione added as an after thought "Basically Kingsley thinks that if there is a risk, this would be best." Hermione finished as if everything was totally obvious.

"Are we going to have to go to Hogwarts then?"

"Well your the boss but most probably yes." Harry considered Hermione for a moment wondering how this got so out of hand.

"Well were going to have to get moving we only have 5 days. I sure hope your ready for this Dudley." Who immediately swallowed hard.

**A/N I know this is a criminally short chapter that took even longer to come than the last one so sorry about that folks. thanks to my now absent Beta (your still not going to get a mention)**


	5. That Warm Feeling Inside

**A/N I will stop making promises about when I will update because it never goes right. an entirely Dudley centred chapter like all the others, lots of clues this time and if you are really sharp you could have guessed how and where by now.**

Dudley Was more than a little nervous, as far as he was concerned this was tantamount to treason, in resent years he had begun accept Harry and Magic but only if it was kept at a distance. He had become a Police officer because he wanted to reform, the Dementors had caused him years of pain that at first he did not understand, Joining the police force was something he felt he could do it was something respectable. Not that false respectability that belonged to his childhood, and not that which he had always felt was somehow wrong. Of cause at the time he believed everyone felt like he did and not an uneasiness that belonged to his particular lower middle class family. Hogwarts is the epitome of all that he feared, was jealous of and all the wonder he could never imagine, Dudley smiled to himself as he thought this, what film was it where they said "fear and wonder a powerful combination". Dudley looked at Harry across the Kitchen, meeting a piercing gaze that Harry had used at the interviews. Suddenly a look of understanding passed over Harry's face, and Dudley was left to wonder at the talents the man that many years ago he had beaten and humiliated.

Suddenly there was a lot of bustle in the kitchen and obviously a decision had been made, Harry had sidled up to Dudley.

"Remember Dudley you have seen only the worst magic, you have also faced fear it's self and come through better for it, maybe it is time you see the other side of who we are." Dudley was unsure how to answer this so simply nodded and hoped that Harry would understand, Dudley rubbed his hands in his eyes and sighed long and slowly, the pressures of the case and the emotional pressure of working with Harry and with magic were beginning to take its toll on him. When Dudley looked up again Hermione was standing in front of him.

"Now Dudley for you to come with us I will need to put spell on you, its one of my own invention so I can honestly tell you I wont get it wrong and it is perfectly safe." again Dudley didn't speak but only nodded, while Hermione muttered a string of incomprehensible words at him, animadverto nostrum magus does that mean anything at all thought Dudley.

"You may notice some rather interesting side effects at the moment you should be able to see what a wizard sees." Dudley looked around him, at everything that seemed to sparkle with excitement and possibility, he marvelled at the warm feeling he had inside and the focus his mind now had. The most noticeable thing to Dudley was that wands no longer seemed to be powerful objects that both scared and amazed him but a tool that seemed to belong in the scene before him.

"The spell will last until I remove it from you, I will have to though, I got into an awful lot of trouble for leaving it on my parents for to long."

"Well are you ready then Big D." Harry interrupted before he had time to answer Hermione.

"Yes, as I'll ever be anyway." Without further ado they set off down the path out onto the country lane that led to Harry's house.

"Now Dudley we are going to disapparated to Hogwarts that how you travelled with Daedalus And Hestia remember?" Dudley nodded as Harry gripped his arm tightly, Dudley remembered the sensation of travelling like this and noticed a difference in the way it felt, it was still uncomfortable but no where near as painful. They landed out side a ruined old farm but as Dudley focused and Hermione's spell worked, People seemed to gather themselves out of a mist and buildings resolved themselves from the dust in the farmyard which no longer seemed to be there.

"That is Hogsmead the only all wizarding community in Britain although there is talk of setting up a new one further south."

"Where are we then?" Dudley asked in answer to Harry's statement.

"Oh, somewhere up north, near Hogwarts." The conversation continued amicably, but neither man was totally comfortable with the other yet. Eventually they reached a set of iron gates flanked by winged boars, Dudley looked up at the imposing Structure before him, the great battlements and towers dwarfing the country below.

"You came to school here." Said Dudley in an awed tone, still looking around he noticed a figure in the distance robes billowing out behind them as the spring winds rattled across the valley. As the man grew closer Dudley realised that the man was not as imposing as he had first struck him, but actually quite kind faced and genial.

"Neville how are things?" Harry asked as the man approached the gate.

"Oh not to bad, detentions and late homework, nothing like the trouble we caused!" Neville laughed at his own joke and opened the gate to allow all four in. Dudley was swept along on a wave of awe towards the main doors of Hogwarts, unable to take everything in.

They stopped out side a great hall without a roof and filled with floating candles, Neville walked in saying something about fetching Ron from dinner, and disappeared from view. While the group waited for Ron a small boy, Evidently finishing lunch early and heading for the library to finish homework, stopped dead still in the door way to the hall before shouting its "Potter!". Immediately a huge scraping noise filled Dudley's ears and they were surrounded by a huge group of students all yelling excitedly and asking for autographs. Suddenly a loud authoritative voice called from the top of the stairs.

"That will do. Now go and finish your lunches before the lesson bell rings." Dudley looked up and saw a powerful and severe looking woman, and immediately knowing he had just met the headmistress.

**A/N How many film did i reference if you get it right I will send you a freshly baked Virtual cake.**


	6. Big Ideas

**A/N Well a great chapter this week (hopefully). Enjoy**

Dudley sat in a chair opposite the head mistresses desk while Harry brought Ginny, Ron and Neville up to speed on the case. The sun had begun to set over the mountains the clouds turning pink in the dusk after the unusually warm spring day, he chuckled to himself at the reaction of the students, as Harry told it both he and his wife were famous, Ginny for being an international Quidditch star and because both were part of the original DA. Most of what Harry said was nonsense to him but he would go to the library to night and find out who his cousin and cousins wife really were.

"We will have to spend the night at Hogwarts, the ministry will have begun to miss us by morning and Kingsley will not do anything to stop them finding us." Harry sighed long and hard before leaving to find headmistress McGonagall.

That night Dudley lay in bed thinking about the last few days, he was amazed by the speed at which things happened it had only been two days since the last murder so they still had 5 days left, Harry and his team of aurors had already made in roads into the case, and now that some of the best wizards and witches of a generation were on the case, he could already feel the end was in sight. It was strange to Dudley how quickly he had adopted things like wizards robes, which he had been wearing since the mornings interviews. He had said something that morning in jest but the idea had somehow stuck, that they were thinking of this the wrong way round, maybe they should not be looking for things that the victims had done to incur the wrath of the serial killer, but maybe they should be looking for things that they had not done. This was confusing even in his own head, maybe it was just tiredness because he had spent the last few hours finding out Harry's story in the library, and what a story it was, but even so Dudley had that gut instinct that told him that he was right.

A knock on the door woke Dudley, who had only slept sparingly that night, groggily he opened the door to admit whoever it was into his room.

"Harry its a bit early isn't it?"

"We need to get moving this morning I want to show you something before every one else gets up. I'll wait outside." Harry left Dudley to change, and then led him out in to the grounds. They approached what to Dudley looked like a white marble dome, Exquisitely caved and maintained, Dudley noticed that Harry had not made eye contact at all that morning, as they walked down to the grounds, making Dudley think that he must be desperately wrong about this marble dome, it most certainly wasn't just a nice sculpture.

"This is the tomb of Albus Dumbledore." Harry announced abruptly "I know that you were reading about me last night. You should have asked." Dudley remained silent not sure what to say.

"The tomb was made in to a war memorial, its been carved with the names of everyone that fought." Harry was talking more to himself than to Dudley, He ran his hands ovr some of the names. Dudley walked around the marble structure reading the names, he came to an abrupt stop as he reached a section that read Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley. Wondering even more about the people he was now travelling with Dudley continued to read.

"Harry, did everyone fight at the battle?"

"No, all the muggleborn's or any undesirable that fled abroad were unable to get back. Everyone else who was capable did come or help in some way, they all get a mention on this."

"I can't find anyone from the families that we interviewed." Dudley was looking more and more thoughtful now, an idea was beginning to form, Harry looked at Dudley puzzled seeing his expression.

"Remember I said that maybe it was something that they had not done, well maybe it is someone punishing them for not fighting in the battle." Harry looked at Dudley sceptically.

"Its unlikely Dudley."

"Well maybe your so intent on it being another dark wizard that you cant see that it may be someone else." Harry looked at Dudley for a moment thoughtfully.

"You may actually have something with this Dudley." They hurried back across the lawns towards the castle to tell the others of the potential breakthrough. They met the others in the castle entrance hall before any of the students were up and breakfasting and Harry hurriedly announced that Dudley may have worked out who had been doing the murders, which surprised Dudley himself. Hermione also had an announcement.

"Being back at the Great Hall gave me an idea." She said brightly "I was thinking back to when we learned to apparate and disapparate and I think I may know how they are doing it!"

**A/N Well i just want to warn you that the next few chapters some may consider to be off cannon but since JK has said nothing on these matters then i am forced to make it up.**


	7. Why

**A/N I ALWAYS HATE A LONG UPDATE TIME SO YOU ARE RIGHT TO BE ANNOYED. So in short there have been a string of murders and the old gang plus Dudley are trying to solve them without the ministry knowing because of the danger of spy's at the ministry.**

Dudley sat on the train seat completely and utterly bored, Hermione had been treating them to a lecture on magical theory, Ron was not even pretending to listen and was staring glassy eyed out of the window, Neville had listened to every word, Harry was looking frustrated and Ginny was fast asleep. Eventually Harry had had enough.

"So basically apparating is two different spells performed at once, one to disappear and one to reappear. And you think that it may be possible to delay reappearing long enough to perform another spell?"

"Yes." Replied Hermione to Harry's question. "But you would need to be very powerful and very determined."

"Or very stupid." Ginny chipped in very unexpectedly as she turned over, her eyes still closed.

"What do you mean?" Asked Harry

"Well you risk some serious splinching staying in limbo for to long."

The Room fell silent for a while imagining how bad the splinch would be. Dudley, not understanding what splinching was, watched Harry, imagining the internal dialogue, the conflict showing in his eyes; should I tell them, should I not. Eventually Harry had made a decision.

"Well you wont like what I have to say." Harry announced.

Ron sat up giving Harry his full attention, Ginny opened one eye and Dudley leaned forward, it looked like they were about to find out. "I think its someone we know well or used to at least, He disappeared after the war."

Ginny sat up, both eyes open, and looked at Harry.

"No I refuse to believe it, he wouldn't," she shouted suddenly and before anyone could say another word she jumped up and left the compartment. For a moment there was a very strained silence

"Sorry Harry but I still don't know who you mean?" asked Ron.

"Dean Thomas."

Ron and Hermione looked shocked to say the very least. "Do you remember after the battle that Dean disappeared, nobody knew where he went." the others except Dudley nodded "Well a few years ago I was able to read the file that Aurors had kept on him, about six months after the battle some Aurors caught up with him and he was, well..." Harry was struggling for the right words "Disturbed. He had been hiding in a rundown old barn, St Mungoes had treated him as best they could but he escaped again and they have not been able to find him since." even Dudley was able to appreciate the difficulty of hearing of such a thing happening to a good friend.

"How did it happen?" Ron asked eventually.

"Well Riddle managed to catch up with his parents at one point and well he murdered them and most of his friends, he was tortured at Hogwarts, and the battle, well you were there!" Harry finished aggressively annoyed at Ron's question.

"I'm going to find Ginny." Harry finished and left the compartment.

Dudley sat in the corner thinking it over in his mind, an unhinged wizard who had had his family murdered most of his friends as well, had probably seen some horrific things in the war, then spent months living in filth all by himself festering a hatred. If there was anything that could drive a man mad and cause them to do such terrible things then I would put money on that, thought Dudley.

"So how do we stop him?" Asked Dudley.

"We wait for Harry, he always had the plan." Neville said, speaking for the first time "Ginny will be alright, she was good friends with dean for a long time, she would not have reacted like this if she had only gone out with him for those few months."

The train rattled on through the country side trees flashing past, the occasional barn or sheep. Half an hour passed and Harry and Ginny had still not returned, Dudley was sitting and thinking about what he had learnt over the last few days. A silver light suddenly flared up from the front of the train throwing the cabin in to relief. Dudley looked round to see if any one had noticed only to see Hermione walking towards the door wand out being followed by Neville and Ron.

"Dudley are you armed in any way?" Hermione asked

"No I only have my Hand cuffs its all I need." Dudley replied wishing he had the luxury of armed backup.

"Back!" Hermione said suddenly as running foot steps were heard from down the train. The door burst open and Harry and Ginny piled into the compartment.

"The ministry have found us and are waiting at kings cross so we need to apparate to the Leaky Cauldron, now." immediately neville and Ron apparated away spured on by te urgency in Harry's voice, Harry was about to do the same when Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Dudley!" she said. Harry grabbed Dudley's arm nodding to Hermione as she disappeared.

"Help me Ginny.' He finished as she also grabbed Dudleys arm and Darkness enveloped them. They stood in the dingy back room of a pub the chatter of the crowed outside filtering through the door.

"Harry can I ask how we managed to be on the run from the ministry?"

"Well I was speaking to the minister and he said that I was right that some junior aurors had been imperiused and passed the curse on to some of the senior aurors, they are acting without orders." Harry finished rubbing his eyes with a combination of frustration and tiredness. "We need to get moving I know where he is hiding out, there is a barn on the hill side of Ruadh Stac Beag, it's in Scotland and very remote, we need to get there before the train arrives at Kings cross and he is tipped off." Harry walked over to the door leaned out, shouted sorry Tom, closed the door, pulled the door handle off and whispered Portus.

"Ok then hold on to this everyone." and before dudley had time to think about any one of these things they off again.

**A/N I will try to update slightly quicker but i agonised over this chapter for so long i hate to think what i will do about the next.**


	8. Negotiations Gone Wrong

The wind cut through Dudley like a knife, the dusk closing in around them like a blanket throwing deep shadows between the trees. Harry whispered into the darkness barely audible over the blustering wind.

"Keep quiet and behind me, single file if you can manage it." There was no questioning in Harry's voice and it was unmistakably an order, Dudley understood that this was Harry's domain but was surprised by the haste and diligence of his friends to follow the orders. They crept through the trees Harry and Hermione at the front wordlessly casting spells that reached into the darkness to find the barn, while Ginny, Neville and Ron scanned to the sides ready to react to any movement. Twigs snapped occasionally under foot and every time Harry was there with his wand ready fight.

"The train arrived in kings cross five minutes ago, the bewitched aurors will be on our tail at any minute." Harry's voice emanated out of the ever thickening night.

Suddenly a ruined barn loomed out of the darkness.

"Ok listen to me, this is the plan, I will approach the barn in order to get inside, and I will try to negotiate with him if I am right, we still aren't sure its even him, but what I need you to do is cover the windows and doors, we can't let him get out and I would prefer not to dodge curses." Harry finished and allowed the others to scatter through the trees.

"Dudley Just lay here and don't move." Harry added as an afterthought, Before casting a dissalusionment charm over himself and disappearing from sight. Dudley could just make out the ripples that Harry's form created in the air as he ran towards the door of the barn, eventually Harry reached the wall and began edging his way to the door. Harry paused next to the door for a moment gathering his thoughts, before calling into the barn.

"Dean? Are you in there?" Harry paused for a moment listening intently "Can I come in Dean?" Dudley watched astounded as Harry removed the charm from himself and walked slowly but fearlessly into the barn, leaving every one else straining against the darkness waiting and listening.

--

"Dean I know you're here." Harry announced into the darkness not wanting to raise his wand to light the room In case it was interpreted as an attack.

"Hello Harry I'm glad it's you who has come to stop me." Deans voice whispered behind a veil of pain and darkness.

"Why's that then Dean?" Harry asked still searching for a sign as to where Dean was.

"I like you Harry, and I take it the others are with you as well, what do they call you these days, still the Terrific Trio or whatever it was."

"They have never called us that."

"Well forgive me I have been a little out of touch recently."

"Will you come with me now? Stop this violence?"

"No." Deans voice was suddenly directly behind, Harry whirled round and was met by a grisly sight. Wounds covered Deans face and body, some still weeping others inexpertly healed and dressed, there was several fingers missing from Deans wand hand, mud and grime embedded in the wounds and any other area of skin not cut or bruised.

"You need a healer. Come with me." Harry said covering his horror over the wounds.

"No if I wait a few more minutes the aurors that I bewitched will be here and will kill every one including me."

"Why do you want that?"

"As you said this needs to stop" Harry was lost for words for a moment, left in disbelief at the damage in Deans mind.

"You don't have to die."

"I do, You will just send me to the Dementors, after all the things I have suffered and all the things I have done, after a week the Dementors kiss will seem like a relief. I wont do that to my self. Anyway, what better way to make a statement, a grand exit, then a massacre." Dean finished leaving Harry angry and frustrated, he fished in his pocket and pulled out the door knob from the leaky cauldron.

"I give you two choices. Take this Portkey to the Leaky Cauldron and wait for me there, you remove the curse from my aurors and let us leave here in peace on condition that you never leave this place again." Harry paused for a moment to gather himself "Or I take you straight to the ministry holding cells, by force, and leave you to the fate of the Dementors." Harry finished never dropping Deans gaze.

"No." Faster than Harry thought possible Dean turned and ran, as the air filled with multiple cracks of apparition. Spells began to explode around Harry as he hared after Dean, the air fizzing with curses; Jinking between tree stumps and fallen branches Dean fell to the ground just ahead.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry cried denying Dean of his means to escape. At that moment he heard the one thing he never wanted to hear, as Ginny screamed for help, Curses overwhelming her. For a moment Harry was torn between getting Dean and finishing this whole affair and saving Ginny. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Dudley sprinting along the tree line on a collision corse with Dean yelling save her. Without a moments hesitation Harry turned lifted his wand to the sky and with all his might yelled.

"Penyelamet" A blue light radiated from the tip of his wand bursting in all directions throwing all the cursed aurors around Ginny to the ground, while rushing around her leaving her untouched.

"Come on!" Harry yelled to her as he dived full force into the battle, twirling and spinning throwing curse after curse towards the aurors, Ginny had never seen her husband fight as an auror. He was always good at school but after his training no one can stop him she thought to herself. Eventually all the aurors had all been captured or stunned.

"That was old magic Harry where did you learn that?" Hermione asked a note of awe in her voice, before Harry could reply a shout was heard from the trees, They all sprinted towards the shout thinking that Dudley might be hurt, skipping over branches lungs bursting, Harry came skidding to a halt and felt Neville run into him. Dudley was lying on the floor Dean kneeling over him wand in hand.

"You will never get me Potter, you will never make me face my daemons." Dean took the wand in both hands and stabbed it into his chest, to shocked to move they watched in horror as blood ran from Deans mouth and he whispered Avadakedavra. Silence fell on the forest, and not until Dudley began to stir did anyone move.

--

Dudley Sat in the Kitchen at the Potters house.

"Well it has been very exciting being with you lot but has made me feel like retiring early, very early." Dudley smiled ruefully to himself. Hermione had removed the spell from him once they had got back to the ministry, Neville had left for Hogwarts, and at last check Ron was enjoying the Delights of the Ministry canteen.

"It most certainly has been very…" Dudley trailed off searching for the right words

"Very." Agreed Ginny smirking from ear to ear.

"Well then Harry, Ginny I will make my way home then and don't take offense but I wont be back to do the same next year." Dudley shook hands and left through the front door, leaving Harry and Ginny sitting at the kitchen table.

"He's only ever travelled here by magic how will he get back home?" Ginny asked suppressing a giggle.

"No Idea, he doesn't even know what pat of the country he's in." Harry finished. A moment later there was a knock at the door.


End file.
